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The Reunification of Germany
The official date of the Unification of Germany, or "German Unity", is October 3, 1990. The German Democratic Republic (GDR/ East Germany) and the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG/ West Germany) and the unity of West and East Berlin into the city-state Berlin were united into a single city-state. The process was known to former citizens of the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, as "die Wende", or "The Turning Point." There has been much debate on the event, however, whether to call it a "reunification" or "unification", considering the first unification process of Germany was in 1871.
Division of East Germany (blue), West German (red), and Berlin (yellow)
The Beginning...
A series of protests led by the East Germans started the Peaceful Revolution. On 18 March 1990, the riot had led to German Democratic Republic's first free election.
On 18 May 1990, the two German states signed a treaty agreeing on the terms of the economy's monetary, economic, and social union - the Unification Treaty. It was official- the independent states had come to an agreement to combine into an union. Forces came on 1 July 1990 with the "Deutsche mark", replacing the East German mark as the official currency of East Germany.
By the mid-1990s, a reunification treaty between West Germany and East Germany was being negotiated until it was finally approved by a large minority in the legislative chambers of both countries on 20 September 1990.
On 3 October 1990 at 00:00 CET, East Germany had joined the Federal Republic of Germany along with city-state Berlin. East Germany's five federal states, or the "Bundeslander", which included Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-anhalt, and Thuringia, had joined the Federal Republic of Germany, along with the unified Berlin of West and East Berlin. Now, the German Democratic Republic ceased to exist, creating six new Federal States including the last 6th state- the unification of East and West Germany with Berlin into a single city-state. Altogether, the new Federal States became the different parts of the Federal Republic of Germany.
On 18 May 1990, the two German states signed a treaty agreeing on the terms of the economy's monetary, economic, and social union - the Unification Treaty. It was official- the independent states had come to an agreement to combine into an union. Forces came on 1 July 1990 with the "Deutsche mark", replacing the East German mark as the official currency of East Germany.
By the mid-1990s, a reunification treaty between West Germany and East Germany was being negotiated until it was finally approved by a large minority in the legislative chambers of both countries on 20 September 1990.
On 3 October 1990 at 00:00 CET, East Germany had joined the Federal Republic of Germany along with city-state Berlin. East Germany's five federal states, or the "Bundeslander", which included Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-anhalt, and Thuringia, had joined the Federal Republic of Germany, along with the unified Berlin of West and East Berlin. Now, the German Democratic Republic ceased to exist, creating six new Federal States including the last 6th state- the unification of East and West Germany with Berlin into a single city-state. Altogether, the new Federal States became the different parts of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Map of Germany
The Day of German Unity
October 3rd became the official German National Holiday to commemorate the official unification of former East and West Germany. It has replaced the previous national holiday commemorating the Uprising of 1953 in East Germany that was held on June 17 in West Germany and October 7 in East Germany. The Day of German Unity, or "Tag der deutschen Einheit", is the national holiday held on October 3 each year, celebrating the unification of the sixth Federal state into the Federal Republic of Germany.
